Due to the rapid growth of social media in recent years, many businesses enthusiastically embraced as many social media outlets as possible. The race was on and no one wanted to be left behind. Businesses made a chaotic effort to keep up without any thought of strategy.

Of course, effective small business social media management must have a specific strategy in order to be successful. Facebook advertising is no longer purely a competition for likes and fans, small businesses are beginning to understand that a more structured campaign is necessary. Now as the landscape of advertising on social services such as Facebook starts to take a different form, businesses are looking to become more and more social media savvy.
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The key to creating an effective Facebook advertising campaign is to cover your basics. We put together a simple list of three steps you should take when advertising on Facebook so that your small business can generate more business and not just more fans.

Step 1: Choose an Appropriate Image
The image used in the advertisement needs to be recognizable and appropriate for your product. If customers don't understand what is being sold, they will most likely pass it by without a second thought. Well-known brands should utilize their logo. This can only increase your brand recognition. Otherwise, don't be afraid to use a literal image. For example, if you're selling pizza, then use an image of a yummy hot slice of pepperoni.

Step 2: Stay on Topic
The average smartphone user checks Facebook fourteen times each day, but unfortunately for advertisers they are often multitasking. They may be running errands, shopping, commuting, or at the gym. This means that small businesses have very little time to make a big impact. This could be a promotional message such as "Get a free slice of pepperoni!" or "Order the most delicious slice in town!" Most likely this will be a call to action that urges the customer to click on your ad. This is not the time to be gimmicky or cute. Just stay on topic!

Step 3: Pick The Right Destination
Choosing the right destination is almost as important as the first two steps. If the customer is confused or disoriented once they click on the ad, they won't stay for long enough for it to matter. Customers who feel that an advertisement is unrelated to the landing page are ten times more likely to leave without making a purchase. You can't afford a mistake at this point. Perhaps when a customer clicks on your ad for "Get a free slice of pepperoni!" they are taken to a page that offers a free slice with the purchase of another item. Or, when they click on "Order the most delicious slice in town!" they are directed to your online order form. Be direct and relevant.

Small business Facebook advertising is more than just accumulating more fans than the competition. It's about converting clicks, fans, and likes into sales. The best campaigns offer targeted messaging, appropriate images, and the right destination.

Who's ready for some pepperoni pizza? Grab a slice and afterward, stop by our social media management page to see if there's anything we can do to help your business grow!